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Ballot measure for ND redistricting approved

BISMARCK (AP) — A proposal to put an independent commission in charge of drawing North Dakota's new legislative district boundaries is ready for petition signatures.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger approved the ballot measure on Friday. It is a proposed constitutional amendment, and needs almost 26,000 petition signatures before Aug. 4 to have a chance at getting on the November ballot.

The Legislature now draws a new redistricting map every 10 years, after the federal census is done. The measure would cut out the Legislature and put an appointed, eight-member commission in charge of the work.

North Dakota's League of Women Voters is promoting the idea. The Legislature rejected a similar proposal last year.